User reviews

Kirikou and The Sorceress is a story of a very small but extremely brave boy, Kirikou, born in a little village somewhere in Africa. Kirikou can walk and talk already when he is born and he starts to set things right in his village. He is very determined and always finds a solution, whatever the problem is. There is an evil sorceress, Karaba, who is tormenting Kirikou's village. She has to be bribed and soothed constantly, she has dried the well and she threatened she will eat all the men from the village... and there are not many of them left. Brave warriors have vanished, possibly have been devoured by the witch, when they tried to fight him. Little Kirikou decides it is not wise to fight Karaba, but to negotiate with her. One day Kirikou walks to the hut of the sorceress...

Extremely beautiful, thrilling story, told in brilliant tones of color and folklore. Very down-to-earth and descriptive by the ways of African life: women naked above the waist, carrying water from long distances, making food, the village elders passing on the stories to the younger ones. My seven year old son, who is used to see the usual smoothed-out, big money animations, was hesitating at first when I showed him the movie. He said the cover looked "funny" and different, and it does. When the movie started, he couldn't stop watching it, he was totally captivated by the story and I enjoyed it very much as well. Excellent story, great animation, rich colors, folklore mixed with everyday life and superstition, great original music by Youssou N'Dour. Highly recommendable. Choose this over any talking funny animals-video.

My two girls (aged 5 and 7) have been exposed to plenty of Disney razz-ma-tazz, but this low-key movie nonetheless kept them glued to their seats. A great tale, told with energy, charm and plenty of humour. A guaranteed winner for the 10-and-under set, and a refreshing treat for any parent who normally has to accompany children to dreck like "Inspector Gadget" or "Flu

I saw this at a Museum of Modern Art screening in Manhattan and, completely unexpectedly, Michel Ocelot appeared to take questions from the audience. He said several things of interest to IMDb readers: first, that he grew up in French Guinea, and that much of the flavor of the film is based on his childhood memories. Second, though this movie played all over Europe, the wonderful African-accented dub in English (and also in French) is not echoed in other languages because it wouldn't be authentic. Third, the movie was applauded everywhere it played in Europe, but England and America "have a problem with breasts." In the US it had to be released (a very limited release) without a rating, because it would inevitably be rated R (for breasts) and thus children wouldn't be able to see it. Fourth, it was loved in Africa where it played. Screening conditions were less than ideal, but Ocelot & co. made an effort to take the movie to the bush.

Parents, you children will NOT see this delightful film unless you stay up all night and tape if for them (if you live in USA). This film is rated "Mature audiences", which means American television cannot show it except on premium cable in the middle of the night. The reason for this is that women in West Africa have never worn anything above the waist, and they are authentically illustrated, without guilt or shame, in their every-day clothing. Not suitable for children in the USA, but perfectly alright in the rest of the world.

It's no surprise that this animated adventure is mostly culled from old West African legends, as it plays like a straightforward, unflinching fairy tale. Completely absurd notions, like the infant protagonist emerging at a dead sprint from his mother's womb, are dismissed offhand in the same vein as Little Red Riding Hood's incognito wolf. That fundamental acceptance frees up the storyline to be as wildly adventurous as it likes, and coats the whole endeavor in a veil of whimsy and charm. The result is a yarn on par with Miyazaki and Disney, although the uneven animation quality ultimately keeps it from reaching those lofty heights. At times it's as beautiful and fluid as the best western animation, with a style and panache all its own, but that dedication rarely lasts long. Bright, innocent and optimistic, it's solid fare for open-minded families who don't mind navigating a sea of topless native tribeswomen.

I've always had this idea that popcorn and Coke were added to fill a void that most film storylines leave untouched. That such a void can filled at all, simply by bloating out stomachs with toasted corn and carbonated sugar water, is a subject that might well be worth entering into, another day. "Kirikou et la sorcière" has the spartan charm of so many stories and fables from Africa. It is as if the scarcity of food and water that illustrated in this story - as in so many like it - had, in turn, to be compensated by making the fable rich in wondrous colourful fantasy and highly nourishing in details that describe the frequently comical and pathetic side to human behaviour. The travesty I see is that, while this film is available in German, French and Spanish, puritans in countries like the US and the UK have, once again, determined that - in an effort at sparing depraved censors the discomfort of twitching at the sight of happily naked village kids and their semi naked mothers - my children shall not be allowed to learn about life in cultures other than their own, nor to hear lessons of great wisdom but may, instead, freely view animated violence and large doses of their own recycled high school yarns. Cannibalise cartoon & eat Pokemon!

I have rented this film on DVD 3 times now for my three boys. Fortunately, in Canada, this can be found easily enough, even in the public library. I found this film to be a refreshing change to the cookie-cutter formula films cranked out by the un-named, animated conglomerate. It is fairly authentic and not afraid to be so.

"Kirikou and the Sorceress" (1998 - 71 minutes) is a Franc-Belgian animation of highest quality, based on a Western Africa traditional legend. Written and directed by Michel Ocelot tells the history of Kiriku, a very small boy who already spoke when still in his mother belly. His fate: to face the powerful and evil Karabá sorceress, who dried the water source of his village, swallowed all the men who went to fight her and that still caught all the gold they had. To achieve his goals, Kiriku has to face many dangerous situations and venture for places where only a very small person could enter. At first, his tribe laughs at his small size, delaying to recognize his courage, brightness and wisdom. But Kiriku faces the power of the sorceress and her guardians, while the others can only fell fear of her. Kiriku goes to consult the wise old man of the mountain, who knows the secret of Karabá and, after that, goes to face the terrible sorceress. According to Michel Ocelot his film is a great chance to show to the African people some of their values. The script runs away from the obvious situations, has captivating characters and sound track signed by the Senegalian Yossou N ' Dour. A fascinating story of determination in the fight for freedom.

This is a really joyous animation to watch. A pregnant lady gives birth to a determined young infant who can immediately walk, talk and who names himself "Kirikou". Enthusiastic, questioning, innocent - he discovers that his village well has been stopped up by the evil sorceress "Karaba" and so decides to rectify the situation. His adventures are fun, simple - as is the animation - with plenty of humour from the dialogue, just the tiniest degree of menace and some interesting characterisations for our young man to engage with along the way. The film looks a little at the superstitions that guide this small West African community, but also at their people's synergies with nature - the whole collaborative way in which humans and other animals co-exist (or not). The themes are relayed cleverly using the naivety of a child's eyes - and that's frequently poignant, comical, amusing - and surprisingly practical. The young boy engages with the animal kingdom in a plausible way too - they don't speak, indeed frequently the collection of squirrels, wart-hogs and snakes react naturally when they encounter him - scoring away or taking him on. "Kirikou" is a can-do child! Sure, if he was your's you might have wanted to throttle him at birth - he is a tad precocious, but if this film doesn't make you smile and feel better, then I don't know what will....

A beautifully realized animated film about, on a simplistic level, a child, who, by his wits, saves his village from the evil sorceress, Karaba. But it's much more than that, if we pay attention. For the question the child, Kirikou, keeps asking is, "Why is Karaba so mean and evil?" It is the answer to that question, and Kirikou's response, that lifts this film above the ordinary. It also has a great sound track by Youssou N'Dour. Unfortunately, it's not an easy film to find, so if it it ever turns up on a station near you, make sure your VCR is ready.

If you accept this little animated fable to be strictly aimed at a young audience without resorting to the usual quota of ironic allusions for adults, It'll prove to be a more easily acceptable viewing experience, despite its episodic and repetitive plot structure and its rather too cocky titular hero.

There's a welcome breath of fresh air in the exotic and unpredictable fairy tale narrative with its strange symbolism and its hints at some darker cultural aspects of the African heritage.

Somewhat too schematic to be a real gem, but certainly a worthwhile pic.

7 out of 10 robot minions

I didn't like it. The opening sequence was just stupid, with introduction to the story or characters or anything. When the boy asks where his relatives are, the mother just says, "They got eaten fighting the sorcerer!", which I find to be utter nonsense. Then, when she finally tells him of a living relative, she says, "He is going to fight sorcerer." I just found that line to be utter (rude word). Did they want us to laugh? No. But I laughed at the stupidity of the line. The whole thing seems messy and stupid right through to the end. Just, avoid this, spend your money on something better. The animation sucks too!

This was a wonderful movie that should be watched by adults AND children together. The story is perfect metaphor (in the tradition of many fairy tales) for the situation of many African nations and yet is enjoyable as a story in and of itself. The "parental alert" is absurd, though. I would hate for parents to prevent their children from viewing this movie because many of the characters appear partially or wholly nude, as people are traditionally "dressed" in warm/hot regions of the world.

To the contrary of what has been said, I had no trouble finding an English language Kirikou DVD at my local library. For that matter, I found the dubbing to be very well done. Kirikou is an excellent story on it's own, never mind being a traditional west-African folk tale. The tiny Kirikou is born into an African village which a sorceress called Karaba has terrible power over. The spring has dried up, and the men reported eaten. No sooner is Kirikou born, but he begins a mission to save his relatives and discover the truth in the world about him. This is a great movie for younger audiences to learn from, and a beautiful film entirely.

I watched this a lot when I was younger, like 2-4. It both entertained me and scared me. I'm not sure wether or not I'd recommend this. Its a good animation and story, but its also a bit odd. Also, I only watched it in the French translation. I don't speak French.

This film, all too limited in its British cinema release, is fortunately now available both on video (a mere £5.99) and on DVD from the BFI. Exquisitely designed, wholly engaging and both ethnic and universal, this African tale is equally appealing to children and adults. As well as being entertaining, it is possessed of genuine wisdom while also being unpretentious. It also has real charm as opposed to the calculated kind found in 'Amelie'. It attains all it set out to achieve and is the film I admire the most of all that I saw which were released in Britain during 2003.

Kirikou has a joyful feel, despite the harsh oppression of the village by the witch and her various "fetishes". It's the only animated feature I'm aware of based on West African traditions, and it seemed reasonably authentic in its portrayal of the village and its environments - though I don't actually know if it got anything right beyond the baobob tree. It's true that the villagers' breasts are bared, but also worth noting that neither of my kiddos (6 and 8) even commented on it. We had all enjoyed Michael Ocelot's shorts, collected in the Tales of the Night, and at 68 minutes, this film feels like an extended short. The major draw, of course, is Kirikou, whom my son especially found appealing: walking and talking straight from the womb, a fast runner, brave, and wise, and thus celebrated by the villagers in song.

I had the opportunity to rent this from Netflix, and I'm so glad I did! I fell in love with the style and the rich colors, and though I live in the US, I was glad to see the women and children as they really are,semi or completely nude. After awhile,I didn't even notice it,and I think that it made Karaba the sorceress even more beautiful. The plants and animals were very well drawn, and I was relieved to see that none of the animals talk or sing. Kirikou himself is a very well realized character,and the folk of his village stay true to human nature. I would definitely recommend this film to families, but just be sure that the adults can handle seeing naked children and lots of cartoon boobs. The kids won't even notice if parents don't make a fuss over it, and that's not what really matters in the story anyway. The point is that Kirikou stays true to himself and he turns out to be a very moral person, even without clothes. Try it, you'll like it!

In Kirikou, a boy is born fully capable of talking, walking, and overcoming evil. The story, apparently based, or inspired, by folk tales, unfolds like a story told by a child, with things just sort of happening.

At first it's very episodic, with a series of short "saves the day" stories that began to bore me, but most of the movie is actually Kirikou's final quest, which is more elaborate and interesting and kept me more-or-less engaged.

The movie has an interesting look to it - it's not *great* animation, but it's distinct and rather attractive.

I'm torn between giving this a 5 and a 6. The story telling is weak but it is imaginative. I wouldn't really recommend it, but it's not bad, and it's something different.

I saw this movie was in 2-3 lists of supposedly "Best Animated Films", so I decided to watch it. I went over to YouTube and was surprised to see that this movie was flagged! After watching this film, I just had one question: "Was this movie flagged because of the breasts?" Seeing as the film doesn't contain any sexual themes, I thought that was pretty stupid and close-minded. I bet lots of people haven't given this movie a chance because of the nudity.

Kirikou is a small, but brave boy who was born in Africa. He isn't like any other normal children-- seeing as he could already walk and talk the moment he's born. Kirikou learns that in the village, there are many problems. All the problems seem to have one main source: the sorceress, Karaba. Kirikou sets out on an adventure, determined to make things right in his village, by defeating the evil sorceress.

The animation is quite simple, which isn't that bad a change. I actually found the animation relaxing and it made me want to give the movie a chance. The plot is easy to follow, but not the best one. I did not like the ending.. I mean, I can understand the appeal that it had to some people, but it just made the movie even more far-fetched than it already was.

This is an okay film. Not the best animated one, but not the worst one either. Let me just tell you this, though, if you're hesitant of watching this because of the supposed nudity, don't even think about it! Nudity shouldn't be a problem if you don't let it be one.

Viewed on: April 11, 2011

An outstanding French-Belgian animation movie, with a soulful story loosely based in a West-African folk tale.

The movie tells the story of newly born, Kirikou, a special child who asks his mother to be born, and who, immediately after being born, starts to talk and run, offering a wise practical approach to life and to the fight of Karaka, the beautiful sexy sorceress who has been impoverishing his village.

This is a movie addressed to children that, nevertheless, will enchant adults because is unique, has soul, has wit, is clever and shows an African story that is respectful with African culture and philosophy of life. Even the approach to the wickedness of the sorceress is African, as Karikou tries to understand why Karaka is so wicked and evil to fix her, not to destroy her. Wining over and destroying are two different things, and this story shows it perfectly. Even the end of the movie is unexpected, in tune with this approach, so magical and alien to Western culture. Western-African magic realism and reality.

The old-style flat animation is an artistic reinterpretation of the reality, in which landscapes, dresses, hairdos, architecture, etc. directly mimic those of West Africa. That is, they are not a western modernized interpretation of them despite the movie being European. African Art strongly inspires the animation, giving the film an incredibly artistic value, but also a verisimilitude that we rare see in animation movies nowadays. Especially beautiful, actually astounding, is the drawing of the landscapes and, especially of the vegetation, drawn to the minimal detail in a naif precious style, as eye-catching as the bright earthy bold colors of the film.

The story is entertaining, full of magic, with great messages for children, but the film is engaging for both children and adults. There is a lot of humor, too. Kirikou is just adorable, a sweet know-it-all, and very naughty sometimes. The rest of the characters are realistic, a mix of the ones you could find in a small African village with their virtues and defects.

The movie being respectful and true to the African reality it depicts most women with their breasts uncovered, while Kirikou is naked, moving his bum and "willy" cutely, during the whole movie. Puritans and morons of the world thought that this was an offense -reality is never a fairytale!- and inappropriate for children, and the screening was banned in some countries, and the release of the DVD in the USA and the UK not exempt from controversy either. If you cannot explain to your child that mummy has breasts, that they produce milk, that they are a natural part of the human body, and that is natural to have them uncovered in many parts of rural Africa, I feel sorry for your child. Children should be protected from these sort of people who try to "protect" them, and not vice versa.

The English dubbing is truly delightful, as it was also supervised by Ocelot. The only problem with it is that when the characters sing, the original music gets a bit lost.